No
Child Left Behind includes many new responsibilities and requirements
for states, school districts, and schools. The law also includes new
rights and responsibilities for children who attend public schools
that receive Title I funds and their parents.

Nothing
is more important to a child's education at school than having a well-prepared
teacher. That's why No Child Left Behind puts special emphasis on teaching.
Right now, some children aren't getting teachers who have mastered what
they are teaching:

Just
41 percent of teachers of mathematics had math as an area of study in
school. That's 30 percentage points lower than the international average.

In
English classes, one-fifth of all public school students in grades seven
through twelve were taught by teachers who did not have at least a minor
in English, literature, communications or journalism.

In
history and physical science, more than one out of every two children
is being taught by a teacher who has never studied or practiced the
subject in any concentrated way.

That's
more than 4 million students in physics, chemistry, and history classes
with teachers lacking the best preparation for teaching their subjects.

35.
How can I help my child's teacher?

The
best thing to do is get involved and make sure your school knows about
all the new opportunities in the law including grants for retraining.
Talk to your school board members and meet with your child's principal.
Remind them that No Child Left Behind gives states and districts the
flexibility to find innovative ways to improve teacher quality, including
alternative certification, merit pay, and bonuses for people who teach
in high-need subject areas like math and science.

You
have a right to know how your child is doing. That starts with meeting
with your child's teacher, working with your child on homework, and
spending time reading and talking. But the most important thing is to
understand how education is changing and to help your schools enter
the new era of No Child Left Behind.